Freely adapted from Syndicate Scorpio Augmentations written by Ville Vuorela

Augmentations in Syndicate V mean all kind of scientific means of upgrading human body, from simple replacement parts to bio-engineered new systems. They are all very sophicated high technology and only available to minority of the population - those who can afford them and live in suitable places. Do not expect to find augmentations from low-life punks or thugs.

Augmentations fall into three categories: genetics that means altering the patient's genes with artificial viruses, bioware that means replacing organs and organic tissue with genetically altered replacements and finally cyberware that means implanting synthetic components and even machinery into the body. Making yourself immune to ordinary wound infections is done with genetics. Having a separate gland to increase the production of adrenaline is bioware. Having your eye replaced with a camera that can see abnormal wavelengths is cyberware.

Augmentations can be detected via different ways from blood and tissue samples to raw scanning of cybersystems. In sports, compatitors are not expected to have any traces of bioware (like nanobots) in their system.

Cyberware is usually classified as old technology, often called as first generation of augmentations, as they usually require more maintenance and are more easily rejected by the host body. In addition, they are usually subject to EMP (electro-magnetic pulse). With more advanced technology, most cyberware can be replaced with bioware versions, and bioware systems are usually called as second generation augmentations. However, heavy duty hudraulic systems like robotic systems and cyber monsters remain as metal constructions.

The most common use of augmentations are various public modifications available from some private clinics, and they are available to almost anyone, providing they can afford it. Most of the people cannot.

The other section of augmentations are those special high-technology military grade augmentations only available to special troops and subjects of the corporate research centers. These augmentations can make the subject superhuman, but their technology is usually very expensive and sometimes a bit unstable. All these augmentations are only available as background options and paid with character points. The price of various systems are based on their usability, and character point prices are not comparable to prices of actual modifications if they are later acquired. In any case, no real world prices are given, but characters may accuire these modifications later during campaign. Some of the systems might be publicly available, too, but as same functions are usually available via auxialary equipment, there is no reason to use augmentations.

Augmentations and damage

Cybersystems can get more easily broken but this damage can usually be fixed by skillful micro-mechanic. Only when the link to biological systems is damaged, a treatment detailed above is needed.

Augmented Attributes

When a character is augmented, the difference between natural and augmented attributes becomes unclear. For example, a character with good (+1) awareness might have that because he was born like that or because he originally had worse awareness but after genetic bombing and nanosurgery he now has good awareness. For this reason, there is no big list of various attribute enhance augmentations (although there is some, as they can be more easily added later), but instead that can be commented to character description how natural any attributes are - or perhaps the character simply does not know - if he has been partially grown in corporate laboratory, where does the exact line of natural and augmented go.

Publicware

All prices include basic drugs and nanotechnology which is part of the operation. Any hospital bills are not counted. Long queues to surgery are common, so if you need to get the fix quickly, it costs more.

Eye Surgeon

It is very common to get your eyelenses replaced with artificial ones if you have sight problems. This requires only a short time and then one day of recovery time. 200e

Repaired Hearing

If you have lost you hearing in an accident, a new drum can be grown for as low as 500e

Plastic Surgeon

People still get their nose and scars fixed. Some even make bigger changes. Prices vary a lot depending on quality and what is cut

Body Decoration

All kind of body decoration is available, from fluoriscient tattoos and color-changing fingernails to subdermal wristwatches. Prices vary from as low as 10e to thousands.

Health Upgrade

If you have money, you can get your kidneys, liver and lungs replaced or fixed now and then so that you better survive heavy metals and other toxics of the modern world. The basic treatment means injected nanobots to repair the organs, takes some weeks after injection and is usually done each 3-5 years. Treatment is about 1000e each time.

Replacement Parts

If you have lost a finger, arm, leg or an eye a new one can be grown from your DNA. This usually takes some weeks and then nanosurgery is used to attach it. The new limb can also have some bio-enhancements like strengtened and more flexible bones. Note that if the subject did not have the given part originally, it cannot be regrown. 10000e and up, more if fast replacement needed.

Neural Receptors

For those who want more powerful neural input from VR systems or just need more accurate and deep experience of wetware, extra receptors can be inserted into cortex. This is usually done with nanosurgery, no need to open up the skull. But remember, you are toying with your brains here! If used to gain better control of vehicle or similar system, this gives +1 bonus to Reaction value. 2000e

Genetic Engineering

Genetic thepary with artificial viruses increases one attribute by +1, up to a maximum of +2. This operation takes some months to perform, in full treatment, and then usually takes about a year for the full results to come in effect. 50000e, more for faster therapy.

Classified Augmentations

More advanced augmentations are not available to common public. Maybe they are too high-tech and classified or just too dangerous. No one really knows how long the people with most advanced new augmentations is going to live. Thus, the laws concerning various augmentations vary from place to place. In some countries, you need to have decent documents that you have something weird inside you. In some countries, no one cares or even notices. And in some countries, you are taken into custody and handed to friendly corporate for extra investigations. Public flights and high security places might prove problems.

Likewise, most high-level augmentations are experimental and classified corporate technology. Other corporations might pay a big pile of cash for the new technology. It is a heart warming to know that they just want some part of you.

Following rules apply to fitting augmentations to characters:

• Classified augmentations can only be taken if the background of the character permits that. See character creations, you need either first or second generation augmentations background.

• Augmentations are not visible without more closely examination unless noted otherwise. The exception is that some cheaper or older systems are much more visible despite what the text says. So, a character with obvious augmentations can have a strange skin color, full metal eyes or very bulky muscles.

• Many augmentations modify character's attributes. Some of the augmentations just give bonus level, but usually they replace entire attribute if the original is lower. If they completely replace one or more attribute, the character does not get character points for lowering that attribute beforehand, nice try. On the other hand, if the augmentation only replaces some sub-attribute like quickness, balance or reaction, the character can modify his basic attribute normally, so you can have a clumsy (agility -1) character with lightning fast reactions (quickness +2)

• Cyber- and bioware does not automatically make it's wearer insane. He might be a bit crazy, but it is not enforced like in some other systems. However, it might be a good idea to take various physical and mental disadvantages, like various allergies, need for drugs, concern of own humanity etc.

You do not need augmentations to be on the top. Experience is everything, not just some fancy nanotech which can be replaced with appropriate equipment. However, augmentations can give the vital edge especially in areas where equipment falls short, so always be prepared that the target might do something you would say 'impossible!'

First and Second Generation Augmentations

All augmentations are classified as one of the three types of augmentations (cybernetic, biotech or genetic). All of these are normally available to those with augmentations, was it either first or second generation technology. However, some augmentations are limited to second generation creations, and in any case, first generation augmentations ae usually more crude and visible (the mecha syndrome) and biotech is usually partly cybernetic. Likewise, second generation cybernetics are usually more or less biotech and have very little mechanical or electronical parts, thus reducing the need for possible physical maintenance and suspectibility to EMP effects.

Powering Augmentations

The power to run various augmentations is taken from the body. Low-power cybernetic augmentations drain bioelectricity while more powerful biotech augmentations use normal energy from the body. This means that the character with active powerful biotechical augmentations needs lots of nutrition. They usually have a faster metabolic circulation to allow rapid digestion of food.

Augmented Sight

Eye augmentations of are relatively easy to make. Biotech transplants are usually made to the retina, whilst cybernetic implants are usually in front, just behind the lens. Biotech implants are active all the time, cybernetic implants are turned on and off at the same order as they have been implanted by touching a subdermal switch in the corner of the eye. While augmentations do not change the general appearance of the eye (cosmetic surgery is readily available at civilian clinics), some features can be detected. For example a low-lite retina makes the eyes reflect light much like the eyes of a cat, while cybernetic vision plates behind the lens make the pupil glow faintly in green or blue when active.

Please note that some augmented systems make normal retinal projectors and similar systems work worse than normally.

Display (0.25 cp)

Cybernetic, a secondary len to act as screen for various sight projection. The input is given through small socket usually fitted behind ear or somewhere else, under skin. Works like common retinal projectors.

Electro Filter (0.5 cp)

Cybernetic, a display panel behind the lens. This display panel substitutes visible light frquencies with abnormal frequencies, making it possible to see electromagnetic fields, various types of radiation and the patterns of electrical wiring and components through thin covers.

Enchanced Retina (0.5 cp, 1 cp improved version)

Biotech, the amount of receptors in the retina is artificially increased, improving image quality, contrast and depth-perception. Subject has visual awareness of +2 (awareness sub-attribute), used in visual observation and ranged combat tasks. Improved version gives Superhuman +3 visual awareness.

Light Filter (0.25 cp)

Biotech, the eyeball fluids are photosensitive, responding to rapid increases in luminosity by becoming immediately opaque to that wavelength and clearing just as rapidly once the danger has passed. The user does not get blinded by flashes or even blinding lasers.

Light Intensifier (0.25 cp)

Biotech, the amount of low-light receptors in the retina is increased. Enables normal, if colour-deficient vision in twilight or near-perfect darkness, but not in total darkness.

Magnification (0.5 cp)

Cybernetic lens behind the real lens, up to x 8 magnification

Secondary Eyelids (0.25 cp)

Biotech, these transparent membranes close over your eyes as soon as the eyes become irritated, shielding them from gases, sparks or dust. The membrane hinders long-range observation of ranges of hundred meters, but it also makes clear underwater vision possible, much like goggles.

Thermographic Filter (0.5 cp)

Cybernetic, a display panel behind the lens. This creates a false-colour image of IR sources, making objects emitting heat (hotter than the surrounding air) appear red, yellow and white, and objects absorbing heat as faint green or strong blue. Same-temperature objects appear as black silhuettes against their background. You could see puffs of breath coming an attacker who waits behind a corner, or follow a fleeing enemy by his red footprints. Image gets too cloudy to be useful beyond 50 metres. Also works with active IR systems, in which case the range limitation is ignored.

UV Filter (0.5 cp)

Cybernetic, like thermographic vision but used to filter ultraviolent frequences. Used mainly with active UV flashlights, laser sights, security systems and similar systems.

Augmented Hearing

Ear augmentations are usually cybernetic, as microphones working on bioelectricity can be made just efficient and accurate than the natural hearing organs, leaving plenty of space inside the ear. The signals received by the microphone are then sent as electrical impulses to the auditory nerves and heard as sound. The more unusual ear augmentation features are turned on and off in the order they were installed by touching a subdermal switch at some part of the ear. Augmentations are implanted to both ears, while the switch needs to be in just one ear.

Balance Processor (0.5 cp, 1 cp enhanced)

Cybertech, always active, abnormally sharp sense of balance gives the user Balance +2 (agility sub-attribute), used in all tasks needing balance, like acrobatics, dodging or skateboarding. The enhanced version gives Superhuman +3 balance.

Basic Hearing Apparatus (0.25 cp, 1 cp improved)

Replacing the eardrum with bioelectronics. Any hearing problems are fixed, except if the problem is in brain, and the user has normal hearing, with the exception that he is not harmed nor deafened by loud or high-frequency noises. Not even by a gun going off next to his ear. The improved version also grants Superb +2 hearing awareness (awareness sub-attribute).

Directional Hearing (0.25 cp)

The hearing of both ears can be concentrated at sounds coming to them from a certain angle, making it possible to ignore background noises and hear sounds from a certain direction of source as if the surroundings were completely silent.

Ear Speakers (0.25 cp)

The user can listen to any preset audio channels from G-Net (all modern radio communicators use G-Net as well, although their messages are scrambled) without the people standing next to him noticing. Similar effect is achieved with micro-earspeaker

Ultrafrequent Hearing (0.25 cp)

Cybernetic, by turning the subdermal wheel behind the ear the user can listen to frequences not normally heard by the man.

Limb Augmentations

The cyberpunk vision of metallic arms never came true. Such an arm would be heavy and strain the shoulder, its complex mechanisms would require plenty of maintenance and the energy requirements of superhuman strength are far too much for protein generators and bioelectricity. Although such arm is technologically feasible, the energy requirements alone would make it impractical. Augmentations to limbs are 90% biotech implants and changes to the digits and joints.

Arm Blade (0.25 cp)

Cybertech, a polymer blade inside the forearm. When extended, it just out of the wrist below the hand and for all intentions and purposes it works like a polymer knife, except that it can't be dropped. It is extended and withdrawn with a certain movement of the wrist.

Extended Reach (0.25 cp)

With flexible bioplastic joints any limb can be temporarily extended for 30 centimetres, making the total increase to user's reach almost a metre. Extended limb has very little strength available for manipulating the reached objects.

Flexible Joints (0.5 cp)

Biotech, with exertion the joints can bend into unnatural directions, making all tries to escape from bonds much easier and allowing the user to pass through impossible small openings or work in positions usually considered to be impossible.

Gripper Modification (0.5 cp)

Biotech. Additional muscles and tendons in the hands make their grip so strong that the fingers are more likely to be pulled off before they let go. User has superhuman strength of +3 for gripping, grasping and strangling purposes only (or +1 higher than normally if already has +3 or higher strength).

Muscle Charger (0.5 cp per location)

A cybernetic protein generator and a charger that can send an electric pulse to selected muscle groups once per hour, causing a controlled convulsion of all muscles simultaneously. If implanted on hips or legs, it increases jump distance by 100%, although the landing may be uncontrolled. If implanted in an arm, the user can punch though most wood and construction material walls and doors (with about +2 to normal strength), or takes a wound if the blow fails to penetrate. The blow is too inaccurate for combat.

Razors (0.25 cp)

Cybernetic. Mono-edged small blades are fitted under fingernails and they can be extended and retracted with specific muscle movement. These edges are useful to cut small soft things like envelopes, plastic wrappings or throats.

Steel Knuckles (0.25 cp)

Cybernetic implant that covers the knuckles and the back of the hand with a rigid steel frame, turning user's hand into dangerous melee weapons.

Body Augmentations

Boosted Reflexes (1 cp)

Biotech, enhanced synapses and muscles give active superb (+2) quickness (quickness is sub-agility of character attribute agility). Remember that reaction speed is dependant on both agility (quickness) and awareness.

Chameleon Skin (2 cp, 2nd generation only)

Biotech, subject's skin can react to environment changes and cool or heat to mask the subject against thermographic detection and change color to give limited chameleonic abilities. The change is not very fast and only works well when needed changes are very minimal in lightning, heat and area (like face only in room temperature). Thermographic masking usually only lasts for some minutes after extra heat must be dispensed somehow.

Lower Body Muscle Implant (1 cp)

Biotech, additional muscle groups in the legs increase running speed and jump distances by 50%.

Pressure Stabilization (1 cp)

Biotech, the body of the character can stand more severe pressure changes than a normal man. He can dive into 200 meters without severe pressure problems.

Subdermal Armor (2 or 4 cp)

Biotech. These are strong and flexible strands of polymer that increase the overall toughness and damage resistance of the human body. In game terms, they give toughness +1 (2 cp) or +2 (4 cp) against all normal physical damage, even to those with penetration power.

Synthetic Muscles (3 or 2 cp)

Limbic muscles are replaced with genetically engineered muscles that burn proteins and absorb oxygen from blood more efficiently and also remove waste products and acids faster than normal (endurance +2). These muscles also usually grant the subject much higher strength (superb +2). They can be taken in addition to other muscle implants. The cost is 3 cp alone, or 2 cp if the character has augmented blood system.

Synthetic Skin (1 cp)

Biotech. Subject's skin is replaced with special polymer build and it grants 1/0 armor against damage, but looks a bit strange if examined more closely. And you can never get a tan anymore - but no skin cancer either.

Upper Body Muscle Implant (0.5 cp)

Biotech. Additional muscles and tendons in the upper body and shoulders give +1 bonus level to strength for lifting and related tasks, like punching.

Metabolic Augmentations

Augmented Blood System (2 cp basic, 4 cp advanced, 2nd generation only)

Biotech. The subject has enhanced blood composition and circulation and various organs of the character has extra resistance against various poisons, toxins and radiation. The character effectually has superb (+2) health. The advanced version grants superhuman (+3) health but is only available as a second generation augmentation. As a downside, both augmentations also mean that the character has very special blood type which can cause problems in emergency situations.

Augmented Smell/Taste (0.25 cp)

This is basically a biotech chemical sensor that reacts to most types of known toxic molecules by making them smell and taste foul, thus warning the user of impending danger. Exotic spices can also trigger this reaction, which can be embarrassing at state dinners. Human sense of taste and smell can be more accurate by increasing the number of receptors, but it seems that humans are incapable of interpreting the world of smells correctly.

Augmented Voicebox (0.5 cp)

This improved biotech version of the human voicebox gives not only bonuses (+1 level if you need numbers) to singing and shouting, but also allows the user to convincingly imitate the voice and tone of any other person. It does not teach him to speak like the imitated target, of course.

Adrenaline Charger (0.5 cp)

Biotech, this organ gathers and stores adrenaline and is activated by a standard adrenaline rush triggered by fear, anger or pain. It increases Reaction by one level (+1) and reduces effects of physical wounds, but the user must have strong willpower to to avoid responding to any provocation or start with violence.

Body Pocket (0.25 cp)

Biotech. This is an artificial body cavity with strong walls and enough room to hide a medium-sized pistol. The muscle implant that closes and opens it is controlled with a rehearsed reflex.

Endorphine Charger (0.25 cp)

Biotech. This organ collects endorphines and is triggered by pain. It drowns the pain signals, effectively allowing the user act despite the pain for next 30 minutes. It works once per day. Since the triggering of this device produces a sensation similar to orgasm, some users develop masochistic tendencies, hurting themselves to trigger the device.

Gills (0.5 cp)

The character can breathe underwater via gills in some suitable place. If they are under clothes, they must be revealed, of course.

Oxygen Charger (0.5 cp)

Cybertech. This device stores oxygen. When breathing or the working of lungs is inhibited, it kicks in, keeping the user's blood oxygenated and scrubbing it clean from carbondioxide for a maximum of 30 minutes per day. It effectively removes the need to breathe for the duration.

Poison Gland (0.5 cp)

Biotech, this gland produces three doses of venom per 24 hours. If placed in the mouth it will poison the user's saliva, but other locations and uses in conjunction with cybernetic or biotech weapons is also possible. The user is immune to the poison and his blood contains the antidote.

Regeneration System (1 cp, 4 cp enhanced, 2nd generation only)

Biotech. The character has much improved natural healing systems and all healing times are effectually at 25% of the normal, like the character was permannently effected by various healing drugs with no side effects. The enchanced version is only available as second generation augmentation and makes the character truly superhuman. He is able to replace lost blood in matter of minutes providing nutrition is available (already eaten or just eaten). Similarily wounds close much faster and fractures in a matter of hours. However, they must be braced well by a medically trained person or otherwise there is a danger of bones growing to bent directions. Even damage to organs and nerves regenerate to some extent, but lost parts must still be regrown in the laboratories, they still do not regenerate.

Secondary Arteries (0.5 cp)

Biotech. These arteries are opened for use when blood pressure in the original arteries drops because of ruptures. Bleeding is reduced considerably and shock survival time is doubled.

Stabber (0.25 cp)

Cybertech. A needle implanted into a surprising body location and can be loaded with any chemical which is then injected into the body of the victim.

Throat Implant (0.25 cp)

Cybernetic. A microphone and a transmitter that can send to any G-Net audio channel or to private radio channels. The user can speak into the microphone also by whispering or murmuring so that outsiders can't hear what he says.

Ultra Digestion (0.25 cp)

Biotech. The user can receive nutrients from almost any organic source and has superhuman Health +4 against ingested poisons or bacteria. He could safely drink gasoline for the hydrocarbons it contains, but this implant does not improve the taste.

Brain Augmentations

Brain augs are almost always biotech, as the consequences of inserting hardware into the grey matter have been proven to be unpredictable. The implanting procedure is difficult and can be done only in the best laboratories, but also the results have been awesome. Everything a person knows, be it knowledge, emotions or skills, exist as clusters of neural connections in the brain. These connections can be created artificially, or even implanted into the proper parts of the brain with nanosurgery. The patient can be made to learn new things, or to incorporate reflexes into his skills and actions to make them quicker and instinctive.

Except for Instinct Shield, these augmentations are only available as 2nd generation augmentations.

Alternate Personality Cluster (0.5 cp)

The subject can switch into a different apparent personality with its own body language, mannerisms and emotions. Attributes and skills are unaffected, as are memories. With a decent disguise and an AP Cluster the user would fool also any lie detector or psychological test.

Focus Cluster (0.5 cp)

The subject shuts out any conscious knowledge of the outside world while concentrating at the task at hand. The task must take some time for this to be possible. The implant is activated by a process similar to meditation. The user is completely oblivious to things not related to the task, but has willpower raised by two levels (+2) to concentrate on task at hand.

Instinct Shield (0.5 cp)

So-called Zombie Chip, Instinct Shield protects wearer from mental manipulation giving effective Willpower of +4 against any such attack. Additionally, the character has better resistance against unconsciousness because of enhanced blood circulation systems, and superb Balance (+2). Negative result is that normal emotions of the character are almost completely nullified.

Language Cluster (0.25 cp)

Any one language is learned at level 1 (trained)

Math Cluster (1 cp)

The subject becomes a human calculator and can solve extremely complex equations. This also makes him very good at approximations, as long as initial values are well chosen.

Memory Cluster (2 cp)

The subject gains eidetic memory, being capable of memorising huge volumes of information accurately, as if he were accessing it again. If the memorised information is more than a month old, the character can forgot things, by gamemasters discretion (and depending on Awareness and Willpower attribute)

Reflex Implant (1 cp)

This implant raises subject reaction speed to superhuman levels (+4), but only reflexes. Practically this only applies to sudden pain and learnt reactions, like drawing hand away from hot place. The subject can also "tune" himself to certain pre-determined reaction, like drawing a gun when someone reaches for pocket. These reflexes bypass any normal reactions and mental control, so subject reacts first and thinks later.

Skill Cluster (0.5 cp, 1 cp specialilty)

A new skill is learned to trained (+1) level, or gives extra boost to old one, especially in special areas defined by the cluster. The speciality version gives master (+3) level use of one very narrow skill, like 'snipe shot' (only long steady aimed sniping shots with braced gun), 'fast draw', 'throwing knives' or 'lockpicking' (with old fashioned lock picks).

Sleep Enhancer (0.5 cp)

The overall need for sleep is reduced by 50% and the user can go several days without sleeping before he shows any ill effects.

System Link (1 cp)

All the augmentations with switches and other activation system are linked to this special neural system, and by careful training the subject can control these systems with mere brain thoughts. In hard situations this may require Willpower test, but most of the time work like a, well, thought. Augmentations controllable via this link is various sight augmentation, metabolic systems, blades and razors etc. If any new augmentations are added, they must be specifically tailored for this system and still some weeks of training is needed.

Cyber Creations

Yes, it is possible to build a full cybernetic body, or so those underground channels claim. And yes, it is quite inpractical, as they need much more maintenance and are not self-repairing like living tissue is. In any case, full chrome cyberware systems require full-day maintenance and are thus quite inpractical in most cases. They are reserved for special uses like building up cybermonsters, and are not available to player characters.

But as said, it is possible. Such a creations are done by some corporations to very special needs, like underwater exploration or very heavy duty special work. They are expensive as hell and cost thousands per day in just parts, and are usually slow and inagile. But in theory, creations a bit like robocop or terminator are possible. However, these are out of player character scope, and details are left to gamemaster.